Paycheck & Tax Guides
The calculators give you the numbers; these guides explain the machinery behind them. Everything is written for tax year 2026 against the same IRS, SSA, and Tax Foundation data that powers every calculation on the site.
8 min read
How Take-Home Pay Is Calculated in 2026, Step by Step
The exact order of operations behind every US paycheck: gross pay, 401(k), the standard deduction, federal brackets, FICA, and state tax, with a fully worked example.
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6 min read
FICA Taxes Explained: Social Security and Medicare in 2026
What the 7.65% FICA deduction on your paystub actually pays for, the 2026 Social Security wage cap, the Additional Medicare Tax, and why FICA ignores your deductions.
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6 min read
Marginal vs. Effective Tax Rate: Why Your Bracket Isn't Your Rate
A raise can never shrink your paycheck. How marginal brackets really work in 2026, what your effective rate actually is at common salaries, and the math behind both.
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7 min read
What Moving States Does to Your Paycheck in 2026
The same salary can differ by thousands in take-home pay across state lines. How to compare states properly before a move, with real 2026 numbers and the traps to check.
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6 min read
How 401(k) Contributions Change Your Take-Home Pay
Why a dollar into a traditional 401(k) costs less than a dollar of take-home pay, what happens to federal, state, and FICA taxes, and real 2026 numbers at common contribution rates.
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7 min read
How to Read Your Paystub: Every Line, Explained
Gross pay, federal withholding, FICA, state tax, YTD columns, and why your withholding rarely matches your actual tax. A plain-English tour of a US paystub in 2026.
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